OGSIEC bows to pressure, cancels nomination fee for candidates

Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has cancelled nomination fees for chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the forthcoming local council elections in the state.
 
OGSIEC’s Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Osibodu, who disclosed this, noted that in its earlier guidelines for the July 24 poll, it stipulated that chairmanship candidates would pay a non-refundable fee of N200, 000, while councillorship candidates will pay N100, 000 each.

Consequently, the Commission has decided to cancel payment of nomination fees as earlier announced.”
 
While noting that the commission has not collected money from any of the political parties or candidates prior to the latest decision, the chairman reiterated the electoral body’s resolve to be neutral, fair, impartial, even-handed and transparent in the conduct of the election.
 
He affirmed that OGSIEC would work within the ambit of the law as provided.
 
Osibodu further disclosed that security wise, the commission has scaled up preparation and synergy with the various security agencies to ensure that the exercise is peaceful across the state, assuring voters of violence-free council polls come July 24, 2021.